Oriental poppy is a perennial herbaceous plant, originating from the Caucasus, northeast Turkey and northern Iran. The root of the plant is central and spindle, and the stem is unbranched and strongly hairy. The leaves are prolonged-lanceolate, deep-cut, covered with dense and sharp hairs. The lower leaves are collected in a rosette.
The Oriental poppy blooms in May-June with scarlet red large flowers (up to 15 cm in diameter). There are dark spots at the base of the petals. The fruit is a pod containing many small seeds. After flowering the foliage dies away entirely, a property that allows their survival in the summer drought of Central Asia.